Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Women

Symptoms of Lyme disease in women are tougher to detect than that in men. Many doctors attribute these symptoms to the hormonal changes the woman undergoes during her menstrual cycle. The symptoms of Lyme disease in women typically flare up at the end of the menstrual cycle when the hormonal levels are low. Because of this, the symptoms are often overlooked by doctors and ascribed as part of the “problems” women experience during their monthly periods. It is therefore essential to know and be able to distinguish the symptoms of Lyme disease in women from that of premenstrual syndrome to be able to take the appropriate actions to address the disease.

Signs and Symptoms of Lyme disease in Women

Lyme disease is an infection caused by tick bites. In the wooded parts of the United States, most of the cases of Lyme disease are due to bites by deer ticks. These ticks carry bacteria called Borrelia bugdorferi that invade the human bloodstream after the tick bite. The spread of the bacteria in the body causes the appearance of signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.

The following are the symptoms indicative of the disease.

• A red spot or dot on the site of the tick bite. After a few days, a circular rash of white and red would surround the spot resembling a bull’s eye. The rash would scatter throughout the body after several days more.

• Flu like symptoms would also be experienced, such as fever, colds and cough, muscle aches, stiff neck, headaches and dizziness.

• If the disease is left untreated, more serious symptoms can develop. These include severe arthritis in which an individual would feel mild to severe pain on the joints and swelling of the muscles and facial features. If these are still not given attention, the condition could further lead to paralysis.

Prevention of Lyme Disease

For people who live near wooded areas, it is advisable to avoid staying out too long near the woods. If there really is a need to go out or desire to take a hike in the woods, wearing long pants and long sleeved sweater or jacket is a wise choice. After the walk, it is crucial to take a bath and check the skin for any spots or bite marks made by ticks. For people who have pets at home, it is advisable to check the pets for any ticks. Regular bathing of pets is advisable to prevent them from being infested by ticks.

Treatment for Lyme Disease

Antibiotics are used to treat Lyme disease. The usual oral antibiotics prescribed for Lyme disease include doxycycline, amoxicillin and cefuroxime, to be taken for a certain period of time depending on the severity of the disease. For people who are in the later stages of Lyme disease, the antibiotics would have to be administered intravenously and hospitalization is necessary for closer monitoring. Pain medications may also be prescribed by the doctor to remedy the painful symptoms of Lyme disease in women.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in women should not be taken for granted. It is very important that this illness be remedied at the earliest time possible to avoid complications.